Combined cigarette and match case



1,533,134 R. P. SEARLE COMBINED CIGARETTE AND MATCH CASE Filed Feb. 8, 1924 Patented Get. 28, 1924.

aonmson P. snannn, on monnno, OHIO. f

COMBINED CIGARETTE AND MATCH CASE.

Application filed February 8, 1924. Serial No. 691,336.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RoBINsoN P. SEARLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Chio, have invented a new and useful Combined Cigarette and Match Case, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to a combination receptacle or case adapted to hold both cigarettes and matches, and has for its primary object the provision of a novel-device of this character which comprises two hingedlyconnected members, one for carrying cigarettes and one for carrying matches, and adapted to be held, and released for opening, by one hand, the two members when releasedbeing adapted to automaticallyassume positions whereby both the cigarettes and matches are held in easily accessible upright positions, thus rendering the device particularly valuable for use by motorists and others where one hand is engaged in driving or in some other occupation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the class described adapted to receive and hold cigarettes and matches in their original packages or boxes. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description thereof.

lVhile the invention in its broader aspect is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, a preferred embodiment. thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which, I

Figure. l is a side elevation of a case en1- bodying the invention and in closed position. Fig. 2 is an upper end view thereof, Fig. 3 is a lower end viewthereof withthe ash dumping slide in open position, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the case.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates whatmay be termed the case-body and 2 the cover, which are hingedtogetheriat 3' and combined to form a closed rectangular case of suitable size and shape to receive an original package tof cigarettes 5 in the body member, and a small box 6 of matches 7 in its cover member. The cigarettes aredisposed in upright. position in the member 1 and the matches are disposed crosswise of the cover member in transverse relation to the cigarettes.

Theinner faces-of the body and cover members 1 and 2 are disposed 011 a trans verse incline, as indicated at 8 in Fig. 1,-with the hinge 3 disposed at the lower end of the incline or considerably closertto the bottom of the case than the upper end of the incline.

The lower end of. the inclined end of the body member is lower, and the upper end of such end is higher thanthe height of a package ofcigarettes when disposedin the case so that a corner portion of the package proa vdistance above the inclined endof the body member to facilitate engaging and withdrawing acigarette from the package. In like. manner the long side of the cover member' 2 is of greater width than a box of matches, and the short side of such member is of less length than the width of the matches so that a corner portion of the match box projects beyond theinclined edge of the cover member in position to render the matches 7 easily accessible when the projecting corner portion of the matchbox is broken away, as indicated at 10.f

The case, members are held closed by a spring catch finger 11, which is fixed at one end to an edge of the ,case in opposition to the hinge 3 and adjacent to the upper end of the incline 8, and the free end of the catch finger releasably engages over the upper end of the cover member 2. of. the catch finger is turned up to facilitate engaging the same by the finger of a hand grasping the cover member '2 so that the catch finger may be forced out of engagement with the cover and the member 1 opened by gravity without touching the case with the other hand; v

. A space is provided between the short'side edge of the body member l and a package 4: of cigarettes disposed therein, and this space is utilizedto forman ash receiving receptacle 12. by the'provision ofa partition 13 in the body member. The, upper end of the The free end edge ash receiving space 12 is open when the cover member is opened, and is'closed when, said member is closed by reasontofa lipl l at the hinged edge of the cover member standing over thereceptacle 12 when the cover member is closed. A lip 15 on the inner side of the long edge portion of the cover member engagesthe lower edge of a match box 6 to releasably retain the box in the cover. The frictional engagement of the side of the cover member with the match box is also utilized to hold the box in the cover member. For the purpose of discharging ashes from the receptacle 12, the body member 1 is pro-' vided on its bottom with a slot 16, which, when closed, forms the bottom of the receptacle, and when moved outward provides a bottom opening through which the ashes are discharged. The upper end of the cover member 52 may be provided with a slot or opening 17, which exposes a striking surface 18 onthe adjacent edge of the match box 6.

It is evident thatl have provided a combined cigarette match case which is adapted to hold both the cigarettes and matches in their original packages and when opened exposes the projecting ends of a plurality of cigarettes and matches 7, both being in upright and easily accessible position to facilitate their removal "from the case, and that by grasping the cover port-ion of the case with one hand the catch 11 may be released by a finger of such hand and the cover is then turned by a movement of the hand so that it stands in substantially right-angular relation to the body member to dispose both the cigarettesand matches in accessible upright position, or the cover member may be held in such a position when the catch finger is released that the body member 1 will swing down-ward by gravity to open position. Y

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any'specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters'Patent is:

1. A combined cigarette and match case having body and cover members hinged together and meeting along an inclined line, one member being adaptedto hold a plurality of cigarettes and the other to hold a plurality of matches with the inclined meeting line of the members intersecting some, at least, of the cigarettes and matches. 2A combined cigarette and match case having hinged body and cover members meeting along a transverse inclined line, the body member being adapted to receive cigarettes in upright position, and the cover member to receive matches in transverse aosition' over the cigarettes, and said inclined line intersecting portions of the cigarettes and matches held by the case.

A combined cigarette and match case having a body member adapted to receive a pac rage of cigarettes in upright position and a cover member adapted to receive a box of matches in transverse position over the cigarettes, the body and cover members meeting on a transverse incline which intersects respective corner portions of a package of cigarettes and a box of matches carried by the case, the body and cover members being hinged together at the lower end of the incline.

at. A combined cigarette and match case having a body member adapted to receive a packageof cigarettes in upright position and a cover memberadapted to receive a box of matches in transverse position over he cigarettes, the body and cover members meeting on a transverse incline which intersects respective corner portions of a package of cigarettes and a box of matches carried by the case, the body and cover members being hinged together at the lower end of the incline, and a catch meansreleasably holding the members in closed relation.

5. A combined cigarette and match case having a body member and a cover member hinged together with their inner ends meeting along an inclined transverse line which line terminates at each end intermediate the length of the case, the body member adapted to hold a package of cigarettes with a corner portion projecting beyond the inclined end thereof and the cover member adapted to hold a box of matches withthe corner portion projecting beyond the inclined-end of such member, and means for releasably retaining the members in closed relation.

6. A combination cigarette and match case having a body member with an in clined inner end and forming a receptacle for a package of cigarettes and a receptacle in the short dge portion thereof for receiving ashes, a cover member having its inner end inclined to correspond with the in clined end of the body member and hinged at the lower end of its incline to the lower end of the body member incline, said cover member being adapted to hold a box of matches in transverse relation to the cigarettes, means .for releasably retaining the members in closed relation, and means at tached to the cover member and operable to close theupper end of the ash receptacle when the covermember is in closed position. j

7. A combination cigarette and match case having a body member with an inclined inner end and forming a receptacle for a package of cigarettes and a receptacle in theshort edge portion thereof for receiving ashes, a cover member having its inner end inclined to correspond with the inclined end of the body member and hinged at the lower end of its incline to the lower end of the body member incline,

said cover member being adapted to hold a box of matches in transverse relation to the cigarettes, means for releasably retaining the members in closed relation, and means attached to the cover member and operable to close the upper end of the ash receptacle when the cover member is in closed position; and means closing the lower end of the ash receptacle and operable to open, the same,

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

ROBINSON P. SEARLE. 

